The types of building materials you use on your home can greatly affect the sustainability and design for years to come. Here are some high-quality, green building materials to look into for your home.

Solar Reflective Roofing Shingles

Having high-quality roofing shingles on your house is important to help your home stay protected longer. There are many sustainable materials on the market for roofing shingles that you should consider for your home.

One type of sustainable roofing shingles is made up of solar reflective granules with a type of polymer modified asphalt, making your roof tough and long-lasting against the effects of harsh weather. This type of material reflects solar rays that may enter your home and heat up your house which raise your electric bill for A/C. By reflecting the solar rays, the color of your roofing shingles also lasts longer, maintaining the beauty of your home for many years.

The asphalt is strong enough to keep your roofing shingles in perfect condition even during storms with high winds and high volumes of rain. This type of product will have warranties on the roofing shingles, ensuring that they will last for usually at least 12 years and in up to 110 mph wind. Investing in high-quality roofing shingles is something that you are sure to benefit from.

Strong, Sustainable Exterior Siding

When it comes to the exterior of your home, fiber cement siding is a great alternative compared to more traditional materials like vinyl and wood. This type of siding will ensure the sustainability of your home for longer, often with a warranty of up to 50 years. With great protection against the harsh elements of the weather, fiber cement siding does not warp or fade as quickly as other materials, keeping the design of your home looking its best.

This material comes in a variety of textures so you can customize your home with whatever color and finishing look that your desire. Fiber cement siding protects your home from water, frost, and cold weather, keeping you warm and dry. Being a product that has the designation of National Green Building Standard, fiber cement siding is a building material to use when thinking about high-quality, green architecture.

Eco-Friendly Interior Design Material

For the interior design of your home, consider using bamboo panels. Made from bamboo grass, these panels are sustainable and support green architecture. Bamboo panels can be used in many places of your home. From cabinets to tables, and even accent walls, bamboo is an innovative material that will also give your space a modern feel.

Great for designing, this material comes in a variety of designs and textures including chocolate bamboo, natural bamboo, carbonized bamboo, and bamboo veneer. Bamboo panels are very strong and dense, long lasting and may qualify you for eco-friendly construction credits.

Reduce Your Heating Bill with Great Insulation

Insulated concrete blocks are a great material to consider that often outperforms other building materials for the exterior of your home.

This type of material is installed as one continuous system with no breaks in the wall, ensuring complete protection of your house from bugs and elements of the weather. Insulated concrete blocks keep your house warmer in cold weather and can greatly reduce your heating bill, which is also good for the environment.

The core is made up of concrete, making this wall material durable and strong. These concrete blocks are easier and safer to install than other materials, taking out some of the risk of constructing the exterior of your home. With this type of material, you can also design the exterior and interior walls however you would like as insulated concrete blocks come in a variety of finishes.

Materials for Green Architecture

These eco-friendly materials can have a large effect on the sustainability and design of your home. They can increase the lifespan of your home, saving you time and money and the long run. These materials also come in a variety of designs so you can build and design your home how you want, making it the beautiful place to live that you imagined.

We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!

What better way to ring in the new year than to highlight one of our new designer colleagues discovered on social media?

Tara Imani, AIA, CSI, is a registered architect and owner of Tara Imani Designs, LLC, a solo practice in Texas, focusing on residential renovations, commercial space planning, and architecture. She has been blogging for over a year now, beginning with her debut blog post on AIA KnowledgeNet in October, 2010 where she explored what is now a commonplace question in the field of architecture: “Is the Architecture Profession in Need of a Makeover Despite the Upturn in the Economy?” (<—You can click on the highlighted title to link to the blog and join the conversation).

Architect Q&A:

11) Who / what has been your greatest influence in design?

This is a very interesting question because I try not to be defined by a certain style- I consider myself eclectic. In thinking more deeply about this, I have to say it was my formal education at Ohio State that has by far been the greatest influence on me. Sub-consciously when I sit down to design, I think about how we would go about solving various design studio problems and what would Professors Doug Graf, John Regan, Ben Gianni or Mas Kinoshita say about “that idea!” It is incredible to think what an indelible imprint our design professors make on our creative thought processes. Not to mention the influence of seeing how other students handle certain design problems. We learn from each other.

Aside from my background, I draw inspiration and learn new ways of doing things by reading various architecture magazines. But each client and project is different and it is important to respond to the immediate context, specific program needs, and design based on those parameters while addressing the required jurisdictional planning, building, and ADA codes (which are baseline requirements and should be exceeded).

“Every new project is essentially a blank canvas.”
~ Tara Imani, AIA

12) Which building type would you like to work on that you haven’t been part of yet?

There are so many building types I have not yet worked on. I would like to take existing programs and improve them such as Student housing at universities, solving urban and suburban decay, revitalizing neighborhoods, redesigning and adapting existing facilities to new uses. All of these projects excite me.

I would love to be part of a think tank team that tackles big problems. I like a challenge and to work with people who want to make a difference and aren’t afraid to try something new.

I’m very entrepreneurial and loved being part of my family’s start-up, creating everything from marketing materials, the company logo, branding our image, hiring new people, determining our core services, implementing new software systems and setting up the daily operations. Every day was an opportunity to wear many hats.

13) How do you hope to inspire / mentor the next generation of Architects?

I was asked to co-author a book on how to become an architect for emerging architects. This was in August 2011 and I have yet to complete it. I was gung-ho about the project and had actually been waiting for an opportunity to write such a book. However, it has proved more difficult than originally anticipated—due to the rapidly changing A/E/C industry (with Revit, a move to BIM, IPD, and changes to LEED including a new International Green Building Code, etc.). I was concerned that my lack of certain credentials would impede the book from being read.

The industry has changed so much due to technological advances that “seasoned architects” are in a reverse position of needing to be mentored and re-trained ourselves.

It is impossible to lead others without leading one’s self.”
~ Tara Imani, AIA

I get my inspiration and compass directions from architectural thought leaders such as James Cramer, founder of The Design Futures Council and Design Intelligence whose website and publications offer cutting edge information: www.di.net. And staying active in social media also helps stay current on what other firms are doing- such as Tweet chats hosted by the AIA or reading posts on www.aia.org ‘s Knowledge Net forum—a place where mostly architects go to ask questions and share hard-won wisdom with one another.

And I look to outside sources in other arenas such Twitter where you can interact with such innovative leaders as Tom Peters, Vala Afshar, Lolly Daskal, and Frank Stephens whose thoughts and ideas can inform architecture in ways our otherwise insular profession has not had in the past.

The Louve Museum in Paris featuring IM Pei’s glass pyramid at night

14) What does Architecture mean to you?

This question reminds me of an ongoing conversation/debate we had on AIA’s Knowledge Net site a few years ago where we all tried to define “What is good design?” Many of us easily fell back on Vitruvius’s Firmness, Commodity, and Delight (my favorite definition to date) while others said “modern” and still others wanted to focus solely on sustainability which, to me, is an underlying aspect that runs through all areas of design and is a pre-requisite consideration in the earliest stages of the design process.

When I hear the world ‘architecture’, I think of beautiful buildings like the Louvre museum in Paris or the Pantheon in Rome. Architecture is synonymous with Aesthetics and cannot exist without a parti (French word for concept/diagram); a unifying concept/idea that makes sense of the project’s many parts. This is what sets mere functional buildings with true architecture—that unspoken feeling of sublime awe when you experience a Gothic Cathedral (or so I’m told… I haven’t been to one- yet).

15) What is your design process?

My design process is iterative. It starts with meeting with the client and listening to their needs. Vetting clients is very important and sometimes (even though as they say “beggars can’t be choosers”) it is best to turn down a project if the client refuses to understand the legal requirements of certain tasks or doesn’t have an adequate budget—unless you can assist with a creative solution to help them find a way to build it for less cost or come up with a way to assist them in raising the necessary funds.

“The client needs to respect the design capabilities and experience of the Architect.”~ Tara Imani, AIA

Once the project goals, budget, scope of services (what I will do), and the fee (most important) is determined and agreed upon, the next step is to get a signed contract and a retainer fee. Then, it is appropriate to begin to solve the design problem.

Sometimes, it is not possible to accomplish what I just wrote in the above paragraph as clients might be trying to decide if a particular site or lease space will work—in those cases, I can provide the client with a feasibility study for an agreed upon fee.

A lot of factors come into play that some clients might not be aware of—building codes differ by jurisdiction, fire codes are critical to comply with, occupancy loads are determined by square footages and use, construction budgets will be stretched. It’s not a matter of merely “drawing up a set of floor plans”. It’s a matter of orchestrating a confluence of design factors and meeting client expectations.

16) If you could not be an Architect, what would you be?

This is another intriguing question. For years I was driven by a need to make others around me happy. This led to being at everyone else’s beck and caw while ignoring my own needs. It’s a delicate balance to pursue worthy goals without being selfish.

To answer your question more directly: I would like to be a writer or an actor. I also enjoy dancing and the performing arts, so being an entertainer or speaker would be fun.

I feel I can do anything I set my mind to.

I’ve already mentioned some of my pursuits in play as a child; some of the other interests I had were creative writing, espionage, and organizing messy rooms/drawers/closets (even if it was someone else’s house).

Funny fact about me: At age 34 or so- when I was having a moment of frustration in the family business- I decided I would pursue my hidden desire to be a spy, so I called the FBI and asked them if they were hiring. LOL! I really did that. They said yes, they were but that the maximum age to train a new agent was 36. I did the math and thought that it was too late to do that. Naturally, I thought of the next thing: being a private detective. So I opened the Yellow Pages and called a few (there are only a few listed anyway) and got an interview with one. He was an older, handsome man much like the TV character Matlock. Without looking at my resume or discussing anything, he looked directly at me across his big wooden brown desk and simply got right to the point and said, “Miss, you don’t want to want to be a Private Detective.” Insert uncomfortable pause. “Trust me.”

Of course, I was not satisfied with his answer. I needed to know specifically why: Would I have to carry a gun? Was he ever shot at? I think I asked him if the job required having to sneak around dark alleys at 3:00 a.m.

Well, he wasn’t specific in his responses other than to shake his head yes to all of the above and more. I could tell his mind was made up so I took his advice and forsook any notions of suburban espionage.

17) What is your dream project?

I would love to work on a Hollywood set although I’ve heard the pace is maddening. My dream project is actually writing a book about Julia Morgan and having it made into a screenplay that I would get to co-direct. I envision it as an epic period piece along the lines of ‘Titanic’ spanning her whole life- like a series- and showing to the finest detail what life was like for women in 1893 Paris when Julia was accepted on her third attempt into the L’Ecole des Beaux Arts. I’ve envisioned various actresses playing her role from Julia Roberts to Angelina Jolie. I think John Goodman or Brad Pitt would make a great William Randolph Hearst (Julia’s lifelong client). So, it sounds like a match made in Heaven!

What better way to ring in the new year than to highlight one of our new designer colleagues discovered on social media?

Tara Imani, AIA, CSI, is a registered architect and owner of Tara Imani Designs, LLC, a solo practice in Texas, focusing on residential renovations, commercial space planning, and architecture. She has been blogging for over a year now, beginning with her debut blog post on AIA KnowledgeNet in October, 2010 where she explored what is now a commonplace question in the field of architecture: “Is the Architecture Profession in Need of a Makeover Despite the Upturn in the Economy?” (<—You can click on the highlighted title to link to the blog and join the conversation).

Reconstruction of the Acropolis of Athens from NW: The entrance (Propylaia) to the Acropolis is at the bottom right, so that the first side of the Parthenon to be seen is the West side, the rear side.

Architect Q&A:

1) When and why did you decide to become an Architect?

I discovered my love for architecture, interiors, and fine furnishings at a young age. I enjoyed going furniture shopping with my mom and would find myself critiquing the various layouts in the showroom, wondering why the designers did it that way and wanting to try different layouts or do something similar in my own way. Maybe you’ve done this yourself, too, when you were growing up: rearrange the furniture in your parents’ home when they were out of the house for a while. I did that to my mom on a few occasions and it met with much resistance. That started at an early age, too- as soon as I was strong enough to move stuff around or coax my brother into helping. My passion for architecture started with house plans. After cleaning out the lower level hall closet and finding my parents’ stack of builder house plan books, I was hooked. I began drawing my own floor plans and elevations, pinning them up on the wall in my bedroom. My 5th grade bff (as the kids say nowadays) saw them and remarked at how much patience such detailed drawings would take; but to me it was sheer joy. I never noticed the time. It was my dad who first told me I was going to be an architect. And since he was an electrical engineer, he kept me well-supplied with proper drawing tools—sketch pads, quadrille paper, charcoals, pens, and pastels for rendering elevations. So I knew since 5th grade that I was going to be an architect. In 8th grade, I did write in my journal that I wanted to be an interior designer. So, I today, I am both—with a focus on Interior Architecture and space planning.

2) What were some of the challenges of achieving your dream?

The biggest challenge has been overcoming fear. The first fear was the looming board exam that I had heard mentioned whenever I told an inquiring adult what I wanted to be when I grew up. So, along with my dream, I had a fear attached to it—of this monster test where I mistakenly believed I would need to bring the equivalent of my dad’s metal trunk full of books and reference materials to pass the exam. The other challenge was time management and the constant tension of wanting to spend time with loved ones (my boyfriend who became my husband) versus cranking out the project. So, self-discipline and deferred gratification are two critical traits any architecture student will need to master early on if they want to be successful.

Every client and project has been a memorable experience and learning opportunity. My most favorite firm to work for was Chris Abel Architects, AIA in Laguna Beach, California where we did high-end custom residential design for both new builds and renovations. It was a beautiful place and location and everything about it was miraculous. I worked for months helping Chris hand-draft a 5,000 sf beach home and additional guest house for a beachfront site in Kauai (using a now-ancient drafting arm- this was circa 1992). The other memorable project I did with Chris was a two-story master bedroom suite and first floor pottery studio addition adjoining to an existing living room via an indoor atrium; it was a very eclectic home overlooking both the Pacific Ocean and the Aliso Viejo Canyon- the style can best be described as modern adobe exterior with an oriental interior motif (Chris designed a huge circle-shaped opening leading into the atrium which contrasted with the sloped adobe fireplace and otherwise rustic décor). The most difficult part was getting the infamously strict Laguna Beach Design Review Board to approve the project and meet the height restrictions while ensuring the uphill next door neighbor’s view would not be blocked. That was my first project to manage. The client was very unique; she liked to wear (what we secretly referred to as) “leopard skinned bowling shoes” and during our morning jobsite meetings she preferred to drink her orange juice only after it’d been warmed in the microwave. She was very astute and noted: “This is your first project, isn’t it?” I didn’t quite know how to respond, so I simply acknowledged and clarified that no, it wasn’t my first one to work on, but yes, it was my first one to manage. I knew I had a lot to learn about everything—especially about how to deal with clients and how to manage the bidding and construction process. The latter point is a story for another day!

4) How does your family support what you do?

Architecture can be an all-consuming business and few people can succeed while being loyal to their family (time-wise, etc.). My father encouraged me to apply to architecture school and my mom enabled me to attend The Ohio State University by securing the necessary loans. Otherwise, I was working as a bank teller for Buckeye Federal bank immediately following high school graduation. The manager was upset when I left to go to school as they had put us new hires through three weeks of intense professional training at their special facility. So, two types of support are necessary—financial and emotional. One without the other will not be sufficient. Over the years, family support has been touch and go. But my dedication to architecture—whether consistent or not—remains my responsibility and no one else’s. In 1992, only five years after graduating from school, my husband and I made a decision to start a home health care and infusion therapy company with his sister, an RN. It required us to move from southern California to Houston, TX. My co-workers at Chris Abel’s firm thought I was crazy to move to the “armpit” of the south. But work had been very slow and I was lucky to be employed at a time when many of my contemporaries were working outside the field. It was a huge time of change, too, with firms transitioning to AutoCAD. I stayed in the healthcare business until 1998 and returned to architecture 6 months later. I was able to find work because of the social connections I had made while studying for the licensing exams—so I always kept one foot in architecture while I was helping run the health care company. And my family supported me by allowing me to take a paid 3-month sabbatical to study and pass the remaining exams. I passed all except one- the design exam which became two computerized exams that I took and passed a few years later after our daughter was born.

5) How do Architects measure success?

I can only speak for myself. When I think of a successful architect, I think of someone who has achieved a solid portfolio of built work spanning many years and whose buildings, designs, and/or residences resonate with their end-users.

6) What matters most to you in design?

Design is a vast subject and covers so much. I value beauty, good proportions, quality materials, and durability.

7) What do you hope to achieve over the next 20-30 years?

That’s a long time. Your question has prompted me to realize I really only think in terms of today and the next year—of course, I envision a great future for my family for many years. Professionally, I would like to continue in the area of tenant build-outs, space planning, and interior design. I have been begging my husband for years to team up with me to renovate houses and I think he’s about ready to do so.

Photo: Frank Cunha III

8) Who is your favorite Architect? Why?

I can say that I am not an avid follower/groupie of any particular architect except that I love the designs of Andrea Palladio, the 14th c. Italian architect famous for his beautiful houses, symmetrical designs, and arched windows. While a student, the theories of Finnish architect Alvar Aalto resonated with me— his inclusive programs (as opposed to Mies van der Rohe’s exclusive, stark plans). I also love many of Frank Lloyd Wright’s homes and especially his Guggenheim Museum and I love Frank Gehry’s Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles—I guess in part because I have been there and experienced it. These days, I’m revisiting various architects’ manifestoes to get fresh ideas and perspectives. There is one architect I admire for her sheer perseverance as much as her work: Julia Morgan who was the first female architect in California who started out as a Civil Engineer and who endured many trials and challenges on her path to becoming a successful Architect. Ironically, her work was absent from the curriculum at OSU.

9) What is your favorite historic and modern (contemporary) project? Why?

My favorite historic project is The Parthenon in Athens, Greece (built between 447 – 438 B.C); I admire it because it is such an iconic image exemplifying all that is beautiful and graceful in architecture. It is the inspiration behind my twitter handle: @Parthenon1. My favorite modern (contemporary) project is the Denver Airport design by Fentress Architects; I love tent structures and am so intrigued at how well-integrated the forms are with the rest of the structure and successfully done despite the harsh climate of wind, snow, and ice. It, too, is a beautiful iconic image with the white peaks of the tents rhythmically rising, echoing the mountains beyond.

10) Where do you see the profession going over the next few decades?

This is a particularly challenging question and one that I see many of us in the Architecture/Engineering/Construction industry grappling to answer every day on social media sites- what I call the new agora or Roman forum- such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+. To read many tweets, posts and forum discussion threads is to realize that we’ve all embarked on a mysterious expedition to define the Next architectural manifesto that will solve the world’s problems through innovative, sustainable design. It feels very much like we’re on the precipice of a major breakthrough but we haven’t yet been able to put it into concise words or build with new forms and materials. There are many thought leaders I look to such as Rachel Armstrong from Britain with her Architecture 2.0; and Ed Mazria who conceived and developed Architecture+2030 (a program to train architects to systemically address CO2 emissions from buildings). Definitely sustainable design, adaptive reuse and retrofitting existing buildings to be more “green” (yikes, I can’t believe I’m using that word!) and high technologies are going to govern how architects practice for years to come. I recommend reading “Building (In) The Future- Recasting Labor in Architecture” compiled and edited by Phil Bernstein and Peggy Deamer—according to at least some of the essays, the future of architecture is going to be much more fabricated off-site and mechanized like the car industry. IKEA is one example of this with their new pre-manufactured housing. I personally don’t like this trend but am keeping an open mind toward it. I don’t want to see the loss of art and craft and design in the move toward BIM (Building Information Modeling) – another buzzword among many others such as IPD (Integrated Project Delivery- how a project is funded for risk/reward-sharing in profits).

Project Mission

The aim of the Earth Pyramid project is to create a monument that every nation and an entire generation of the world’s children can contribute to. With the many issues the world is facing it is now more important than ever for us to start working together to educate and prepare our children for the challenges they will be facing in their lifetimes.

Aided by modern technology the world has never been more connected and it’s a great time in history to try and get the world working together and discussing these issues.

The Earth Pyramid’s mission is to act as a focal point for learning about other countries around the world and to look at how our actions and inactions today will affect the future our children will inherit. By connecting a generation of the world’s children we hope this shared bond will create a greater understanding of other cultures and encourage a generation to be united in tackling and supporting each other in future decision making and actions. If we combine our efforts as a planet it will be amazing to see what the power of a united generation can achieve.

This monument will be a celebration of our world with its many cultures and although it won’t bring about world peace or solve the many issues our planet is facing it will help to educate and give people a chance to connect on a global scale.

Contributors

(click on an image to view his/her video)

A Few Testimonials

I think your project is interesting and inspiring…………………..Kaj Leo Johannesen (Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands)

We have found your project very interesting and will be very glad to be a part of it……………….Rakotozafy Herizo (Political Adviser, Government of Madagascar)

H.E. the President found your idea to be very innovative and interesting and would like Timor Leste to be part of this creative experiment…………………….Gregório de Sousa (Chief of Staff, Government of Timor Leste)

The aim of the project to strengthen bonds between different cultures and capture some of the history of participating countries is a laudable. We support this project and are happy for the Cayman Islands to participate.Duncan Taylor (Governor of the Cayman Islands)

We would be delighted for the Isle of Man to be involved in this project……………..Tony Brown (Chief Minister, Isle of Man)

Your project is a wonderful initiative and we would like to be a part of it………Jean-Paul Adam (Secretary of State, Republic of Seychelles)

Click here for additional information about this project and click here if you would like to share your ideas.

We would love to hear from you on what you think — please leave a comment. If you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!

NEWARK, Jul 12 2011 – Construction of ENJOY: A Generation House, the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 entry from Team New Jersey, a collaborative effort of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), begins July 11, 2011 following a ground-breaking at NJIT. Once construction of the house is complete, Team NJ will hold an official topping-off event at NJIT with major sponsors and VIP guests. Work will continue at NJIT throughout the summer with the students performing tests to ensure all systems work properly.

In September, the house will be de-constructed, loaded onto trucks, and shipped to the competition site on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Upon arrival, the team will aim for a two-day reconstruction timeline before adding finishing touches. Once completed, the ENJOY House will be ready to accommodate the thousands of visitors who will be touring the house during public display hours from Sept. 23-Oct. 2, 2011.

The ENJOY House is designed around a central core containing integrated systems. It is the first house in the competition’s history to use precast concrete panels as the primary construction material. ENJOY, a beach-inspired house, will feature an inverted-hip roof design for rainwater collection to support irrigation and grey water systems, an 8.2kW photovoltaic system that will allow the house to be completely powered by the sun, and the application of universal design principles, which will allow the house to be accessible to people of all ages and levels of mobility.

An interdisciplinary project, Team NJ is composed of architecture and industrial design students from NJIT’s College of Architecture and Design and engineering, landscape architecture, planning, and computer science students from Rutgers University. Students regularly attend meetings with professionals in the field and take classes that focus on specific aspects of the design, such as a class on green building at Rutgers University, the NJIT Solar Design Studio and System’s Interface Studio, along with several classes offered in the landscape architecture school and engineering school.

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) have partnered to compete as “Team New Jersey” in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 competition (led by Richard Garber of GRO Architects, previously featured for his design of a concrete home in Jersey City). Team New Jersey is one of 20 collegiate teams, selected from an international pool of 40 candidates, challenged to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are affordable, energy-efficient, and attractive. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends cost-effectiveness, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency. “The selection of Team New Jersey as a participant in the Solar Decathlon 2011 puts New Jersey squarely on the international ‘green building’ map now,” said Jennifer Senick, Executive Director of the Rutgers Center for Green Building at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University. The Center played a key organizing role in the Solar Decathlon 2011 proposal and will continue this capacity throughout the project. “This is a vote of confidence by the USDOE in New Jersey’s green building activities, and Team New Jersey’s design will showcase innovations that represent the future of green economy.”

For more information about the project or questions regarding fundraising may be directed to Deborah Plotnik at (732) 932-4101 x 626 or dplotnik@rci.rutgers.edu.